How to Give

Make an express gift or make a gift and purchase exclusive items when you make your gift on our secure webpage.

Call the Annual Giving Office at 864-656-5896 to make a gift over the phone.

To make a gift by check, complete this gift form (PDF) and mail it along with your check. Make all checks payable to Clemson University Foundation:

Clemson University Foundation
PO Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29633-1889

You can make a recurring gift from your checking or savings account, by using your credit/debit card, or by providing your bank account information for a direct draft.

The Foundation charges recurring gifts on the 15th of each month and charges quarterly on the 15th of March, June, September, and December.

To change the designation, update your gift amount, update your banking information, or cancel your recurring gift, you will need to contact the Foundation offices by the 10th to stop the draft for the upcoming payment. You can contact the gift management team at gift_management-l@lists.clemson.edu or call 864-656-2563.

Start making your automatic draft gifts by completing a form to authorize automatic drafts from your bank account or your credit/debit card. Mail the completed, signed form to:

Clemson University Foundation
PO Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29633-1889

*Do not send bank account information via email.*

A Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), whether administered by an investment firm or a community foundation, is an account held by a sponsoring organization that the IRS has recognized as a 501(c)(3) entity. Donations made to the fund are used for the purpose of supporting charitable organizations and are tax-deductible the year of the contribution. Once you are ready to impact the charity of your choice, you may direct the DAF to disburse a gift. As the use of DAFs has increased among donors, Clemson University Foundation (CUF) offers the guidelines below. Please work with your financial advisor to distribute your donation to Clemson University Foundation. We ask that you please notify CUF Gift Management, as many DAF distributions are received without donor information. It is helpful when submitting your DAF distribution to include the following information:

Your Name
Gift Amount
How you wish to designate the use of the funds

DAF administrators commonly send a check directly to the Foundation; however, CUF can also receive a wire transfer.
Legal Name: Clemson University Foundation
Address: P.O. Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29631-1889
Tax EIN: 57-0426335

Reach out to Gift Management for questions.

Donors who wish to use their QCD or IRA Charitable distributions must be 70 ½ years old or older and can donate up to $108,000 annually (indexed to inflation). QCDs enable donors to fulfill their required minimum distrution without increasing taxable income. Donors may use a one-time distribution to create a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust.

To discuss RMDs and QCDs with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

With the encouragement, support, and commitment of faculty and staff, Clemson can continue to move forward on critical University goals. You have the power to move Clemson Fiercely Forward.

There will be a total of 24 deductions each fiscal year for 12-month employees and 16 deductions each fiscal year for nine-month employees.

Payroll Deduction Form

With a pledge, you may complete your gift by making a one-time gift at a later date or by making payments over a designated period of time. Click here for our standard pledge form (PDF).

Many companies offer a matching gift program that can double (or more) your impact to Clemson!

Every organization has its own policies and matching gift forms, so be sure to check with y our company's human resources department. If you are retired, you may also be eligible.

To find out if your company offers gift matching, ask your human resources representative or search Clemson's gift matching company database. Please reach out to matchinggifts@clemson.edu for any questions regarding a corporate match. Mail the completed matching gift forms with your gift to:
Clemson University Foundation
Attn: Matching Gifts
PO Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29633-1889

Memorials can used to meet areas of greatest need or can be designated to a specific area of the University.

If you wish to notify the honoree or his or her family of your thoughtful gift, please provide contact information when you make your gift. The amount of the gift is not disclosed, and your gift is fully tax-deductibel as provided by law.

Gifts may be made online, by phone at 864-656-5896 or by mail:
Clemson University Foundation
Annual Giving Office
PO Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29633-1889

If you would like to include Clemson University in an obituary announcement, we recommend the following verbiage that can be personalized to your needs:
Memorial contributions may be made to Clemson University Foundation. Please Direct your gift to (fund) in memory of (name). Gifts may be made online at iamatiger.clemson.edu/gioving, by phone at 864-656-5896 or by mail:
Clemson University Foundation
Annual Giving Office
PO Box 1889
Clemson, SC 29633-1889

For information on how to start a memorial gift fund, contact Amy Craft at 864-656-1240, or email acserna@clemson.edu.
For other honorary or memorial gift questions, contact Allison Addison at 864-656-5896, or email givingtocu-L@lists.clemson.edu.

Making a gift of securities may mean significant tax benefits for the donor - potentially bypassing capital gains taxes and providing a valuable income tax deduction - that effectively reduces the cost of making a gift.

Contributions of appreciated securities held for more than a year may be deductible at their average market value, regardless of what the donor paid for them. Each gift is case-specific, and you should always consult your tax advisor for questions regarding the tax treatment of your gifts. Gifts of stock may be completed by physical delivery of certificates or electronically.

Click here to view detailed instructions on how to transfer a gift of securities to CUF.If you or your broker has questions about transferring securities, please contact Blake Jones at 864-656-5656. If you are sending securities to Clemson, please use this form (PDF) to inform the team.

If you would like to give a gift of precious metals, please contact the Gift Management Team.

If you have questions about how a planned gift of securities will benefit you, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development Corporate, at 864-656-0663 or email giving@clemson.edu.

Support Clemson by providing goods that fulfill specific needs across the University. All non-cash donations will need to be assessed before being accepted by Clemson.

Please reach out to givingtocu-L@lists.clemson.edu, who will then connect you with the appropriate Faculty/Staff members.

If you plan to contribute goods valued at $500 or more, the IRS requires Form 8283 (PDF) to be completed. If the assets are valued at more than $5,000, a professional appraisal is required.

Real Estate gifts are an excellent way to make a gift to support our students and faculty while offering significant tax advantages, including avoidance of capital gains tax and receiving a fair market value income tax deduction. The process involves a thorough evaluation, a qualified appraisal, and a due diligence period, and can include residential, commercial, agricultural, or undeveloped land. These also include rental and vacation homes, farms, timberlands, commercial buildings, and unimproved land (land without buildings) are all ways to support Clemson and gain significant tax benefits.

Real Estate may be given as a current gift, a planned gift or as a retained life asset. For a future gift, you can designate Clemson as the beneficiary of your real estate through your bequest, making it free of estate tax and this could be an excellent solution for liquidation in your estate.

With retained life estates, you can give your home, vacation home or farm to Clemson and you or your spouse or other survivor may continue to live in the house or own the undeveloped land for life. This agreement could provide excellent estate plannng solutions and generate a significant tax deduction immediately.

To make your gift of real estate or discuss your options, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu.

A bequest or charitable designation from a will or a living trust allows you make a gift of any size to the Clemson University Foundation. During your lifetime, your assets will remain in your control, and you reserve the right to make changes to your estate plan at your discretion. You may designate a specific amount or a percentage of your estate, with or without restrictions, to the Clemson University Foundation.

Just like the Last Will & Testament of Thomas Green Clemson, your bequest can create a meaningful legacy for you, your family and/or a loved one. As a Guardian of Clemson's future, you will enhance and enrich the Clemson Experience for generations of students, faculty, staff and community. Your bequest may be used to support operational needs, establish or support a current and/or new endowment.

To discuss your gift and estate planning options with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

By naming the Clemson University Foundation as the beneficiary of your IRA, 401(k), 403(b), 457, SEP, SIMPLE, or other qualified retirement plan, you may be able to realize significant tax advantages. To discuss your retirement assets, as well as annual qualified charitbale distributions (QCD) with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

Purchasing a new life insurance policy or naming the Clemson University Foundation as the beneficiary of an existing policy is an option for many who desire to make a significant gift to support Clemson's future. If agreed, Clemson could become the owner; however, you would be required to make all premium payments through the Clemson University Foundaiton. This could result in a tax deduciton for you. Please note that we also require an annual donation to any area of the university to cover administrative activites. It your policy is "paid up", you could name Clemson as the charitable beneficiary or we could cash in the policy which would allow you to make a current gift to a program you would like to support.

To discuss a life insurance policy with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and the Clemson University Foundation. You make a gift of cash or marketable securities to the foundation. In return, the foundation agrees to provide a fixed payment to you for life.

At your death, the balance of the annuity will be used to support the University's top priorities or a program you desire. This type of gift is part gift and part purchase of an annuity, yielding an immediate tax deduciton and partial tax free income. A charitable gift annuity is particularly attractive because the ACGA rates are based on the age of the beneficiaries, and may produce higher yields than you would receive on other fixed-income instruments. When combined with a tax deduction and partial tax-free payments, the effective rate of return may be significant.

To discuss a charitable gift annuity with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

A charitable lead trust is designed to reduce the taxes on your estate while making a current gift to the Clemson University Foundation. Clemson leads in receiving income from the trust for a designated period of time and all growth above the annual payout may be accumulated for a family to receive tax free. This planned giving option can be a creative way to retain ownership of an asset, support the University and benefit your family at the conclusion of the trust term.

To discuss a charitable lead trust with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.

A charitable remainder trust offers both an investment plan and the benefits of making a gift. You place assets in a charitable trust, and you and/or your beneficiaries receive income for life or a term of years. Once the trust is terminated, the Clemson University Foundation receives the remaining assets to benefit Clemson University. Charitable remainder trusts have become a popular way to make a gift, avoid capital gains on your assets and receive income while saving money on taxes.

To discuss a charitable remainder trust with our development team, please contact JoVanna King, Senior Associate Vice President of Development at 864-656-0663 or giving@clemson.edu. For more information, visit the Gift Planning Website.